Aprox: Length 12’, Height 5’, Diameter 5’
Materials: Spruce Wood, Spruce Bark, Brick, Leather, Grinded Steel and a
Clear Prouder Coat.
Artist Statement
The Aboriginal CATCH team asked the community to find an artist who would partner with the team. UBCO student and artist, Chad Pratch, came forward to join the group, helping them to identify what is important for the health of young Aboriginal children in the Central Okanagan.
The team created an Aboriginal community dialogue using a method called World Café in which large groups of people talked about important questions while sitting at small tables of four, café-style. Gradually they moved to other tables and talked about the same questions with different people. Large sheets of paper are placed on each table so that participants can draw pictures and doodle, or write notes about what kinds of conclusions were made on the betterment of Aboriginal children in the Central Okanagan.
During the World Café, Chad moved around the room listening, observing, and sketching interpretations of the dialogue. He then presented his interpretation back to the participants in an artistic form. After the event Chad created a work of art to give community participants a visual symbol that would remind them of the dialogue and honour their participation.
When he first met with the team Chad was aware of his Métis heritage, but knew little about Métis culture or people. What began as an art project got much bigger for Chad as he became more connected with the team and learned about the history of First Nations and Métis people by getting involved with Okanagan Métis Community Services and helping with cultural events.
Chad’s sculpture, crafted from metal and wood, shows how children should be at the centre of all communities. “I want the children in this piece to shine very bright as an expression of how communities should value their children. The boat symbolizes strength and unity; the feathers, our cultural history. The bricks symbolize forgiveness and perseverance,” Chad told the audience who witnessed the unveiling of his sculpture at the fourth community gathering at Westbank First Nation on October 16.
“I am doing this piece out of respect for my great grandmother, Mary Cardinal, who was removed from her family and raised in a convent. Mary was forced to feel ashamed of her Aboriginal heritage so she kept it a secret all the way to her grave. I want to make a statement for her and my family today, saying we are not ashamed to be Métis. We are proud.”
“Louis Riel believed that it would take 100 years before the Métis people would awake and it would be the artists that gave them their spirit back. Young artists like Chad are giving us so much hope and strength. We welcome Chad and his family to our community and look forward to a long, fulfilling relationship. We are proud of him,” said Carol Lust, from Okanagan Métis Community Services.
Materials: Spruce Wood, Spruce Bark, Brick, Leather, Grinded Steel and a
Clear Prouder Coat.
Artist Statement
The Aboriginal CATCH team asked the community to find an artist who would partner with the team. UBCO student and artist, Chad Pratch, came forward to join the group, helping them to identify what is important for the health of young Aboriginal children in the Central Okanagan.
The team created an Aboriginal community dialogue using a method called World Café in which large groups of people talked about important questions while sitting at small tables of four, café-style. Gradually they moved to other tables and talked about the same questions with different people. Large sheets of paper are placed on each table so that participants can draw pictures and doodle, or write notes about what kinds of conclusions were made on the betterment of Aboriginal children in the Central Okanagan.
During the World Café, Chad moved around the room listening, observing, and sketching interpretations of the dialogue. He then presented his interpretation back to the participants in an artistic form. After the event Chad created a work of art to give community participants a visual symbol that would remind them of the dialogue and honour their participation.
When he first met with the team Chad was aware of his Métis heritage, but knew little about Métis culture or people. What began as an art project got much bigger for Chad as he became more connected with the team and learned about the history of First Nations and Métis people by getting involved with Okanagan Métis Community Services and helping with cultural events.
Chad’s sculpture, crafted from metal and wood, shows how children should be at the centre of all communities. “I want the children in this piece to shine very bright as an expression of how communities should value their children. The boat symbolizes strength and unity; the feathers, our cultural history. The bricks symbolize forgiveness and perseverance,” Chad told the audience who witnessed the unveiling of his sculpture at the fourth community gathering at Westbank First Nation on October 16.
“I am doing this piece out of respect for my great grandmother, Mary Cardinal, who was removed from her family and raised in a convent. Mary was forced to feel ashamed of her Aboriginal heritage so she kept it a secret all the way to her grave. I want to make a statement for her and my family today, saying we are not ashamed to be Métis. We are proud.”
“Louis Riel believed that it would take 100 years before the Métis people would awake and it would be the artists that gave them their spirit back. Young artists like Chad are giving us so much hope and strength. We welcome Chad and his family to our community and look forward to a long, fulfilling relationship. We are proud of him,” said Carol Lust, from Okanagan Métis Community Services.